The Waikato Times. "OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 1874.

Waikato Times, Volume V, Issue 298, 9 April 1874, Page 2

The Waikato Times. "OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 1874.

We announce in another column that His Excellency Sir James I'Wgusson will shortly visit the "VVaikato district. One event naturally leads us back to the last similar occurrence. It will be remembered that Sir G. Bowen visited Ngarnawahia for the purpose of bidding adieu to the natives. Although the objectionable paragraphs in the speeches delivered, by some of the natives on that occasiou were by government management prevented from appearing in our columns or those of our oonternporarips, it is well known that niapy were of such a nature that no Governor of a British colony should have been called upon to quietly listen and "gush" in reply. Fortunately for this colony, its present Governor is a man of different metal ; be Jeels that the dignity of his position does not depend for support upon idiotic addresses and equally absurd flummery, in the shape of volunteer parades and the lianging of flags. It is quite refreshing to find, after past experience, that a, Governor of this oolony is prepared to maintain his position as representative of Her Majesty. "He will have inuoh pie isnre iv receiving the European settlers and loyal Maoris of the Waikato'diatriot." The difference in tone is symbolical of the difference in the relutive positions held by the natives ami the Europeans now and at the time of the last vice-regal visit. Previous to the last visit evory persuasion was used to iudnco the " kmg " and his leading followers to attend at jVgaruawahia. .So far t'rom this being the case now, the brief telegram fronj. Mr Maokay insinuates that Hist Excellency will deehV, to interview any but loyal natives, or at the very Ic^.t those who are prepared to tender then- unquriliHuJ submission to *he Uo\Lrmueut, ll c aie to Ulune currcu 1

reports, m place oi the Governor "humg" for an interview, the " King " aud Rewi, his former Prim* Minister, have entered on a race, the goal being 1 the Governor's ear into which to pour their ditfereut versions of the state of affairs. We trust that the Governor will refuse to see either of them unless assured that formal submission to the authority of the Government is to bo the first seutence of the conversation. The «' King " party is divided, and, if left entirely to their own devices and treated with the utmost contempt, we believe that the solution of the native difficulty will be near at hand. The non-attendance of influential civil natives at the late meeting has already borne fruit ; there was nobody to brag- or bounce before, consequently nothing at all was attempted. If the Government declines to hold any intercourse with rebel natives till after their chiefs have tendered their allegiance, there is every reason to think that a few months will destroy the power at present held by their leaders. Although we have somewhat ridiculed the pomps and vanities appertaining to vice-regal office, we have not forgotten that respect is due to the Governor if only as the representative of our Sovereign, In this case, however, we feel confident that we are only expressing public opinion when wo say that a cordial welcome will be accorded to Sir James Fergusson for his personal qualities as evidenced by his conduct of those affairs that have called for his special attention since bis assumption of office. In order to spare His Excellency the annoyance of receiving innumerable addresses, we suggest the propriety of each section of the district holding a meeting and appointing a deputy to assist in drawing up an address which shall express the loyalty to the throne and the personal respect which is felt for our Governor by the settlers in the Waikato.

The New Zealand Government ia not likely to experience any difficulty in obtaining the services of well trained railway servants. The following in reference to the duliea they are called upon to perform in the old country, is from the London Daily Telegraph : — " On parts of one great railway those employes who have been successful in, making terms with their masters, are under an arrangement to work GO hours a week, but practically this by no means ensures an equal division ot the (50 hours into six parts of ten hours a day. It is not at all uncommon for a driver or guard to keep on from 18 to 22 hours at a stretch, and then to be allowed to go home for five or six hours' sleep, and on again for another 20 hours' spell, so that he may accomplish bis 60 hours in four days instead of six, when, if it suits the convenience of the company, he is knocked off for the ensuing two days ; and- so at the end of the week, although in reality he has been the victim of over-work, and the safety of passengers has been, in consequence, jeopardised, it may be shown that the man has worked no more tha.n a fair average ot ten hours a day. Instances might, however, be quoted of men being worked, without the least regard for public safety, almost twice 60 hours a week, and this continuously. I have letters from guards on one railway, giving details of their hard usage In this respect. In one case, ' Monday, 18jt I hours ; Tuesdaj, 18i hours ; Wednesday, 17i hours ; Thursday, 18i hours ; Friday, 18£ hours ; Saturday, 14J hours ; making a total of the week of 106f hours" Guard number two was even worse off, for his account showed that, in the six days he had, from Monday morning until Sunday morning, worked an average of 19 hours u day in each 2'l. On another line the same system is occasionully indulged m. One guard, an old servant, sends me hi* last week's record of 9o£ houra for a week's work, vnd inform- me that 'this is rather light than otliei wise, taking the average- Another has worked a huuchvd and two hours iv I lie same tune, and a third se\enty-MX lioins in fhednjs. At a public meeting held recently, at winch Sn Edward Wiitkin occupied the chair, a driver on the South Devon hue made known to the worthy director thut lie had jn»t been relieved alter tuning worked forty-eight hours consecutively. There is intelligence from York to the effect that their goods guards and engine-drivers are commonly \\orl v ing lllteeu and sixteen hours a day. There are, it is stated, at Stockton Mgunlmen who are (lor a wnge of 19;.) working from 81 to 100 hours a week, and this, is in quite an ordinary and b^stenuiuc manner. Constable Mallicson arrested n, young man named 11. A. Digby lust evening at Ngaruawahia. It appears that a wnnunt has been current (or borne tune ior Ins urrest on a charge of larceny us a bailee, lie having hired a horse in Auckland and sold it at Kilnkihi. He hired a second horse at KihikUn and sold it at Ngaruawjihni. This precocious jouth hns only been one month in the colony, and is likely, if the charges brought against him can be substantiated, to have very little opportunity of admiring its scenery or aiding in the development of its resources, unlesa one of its principal productions is to be considered road-metal. Tins wnsoner lias run the gauntlet through the Auckland police ior some time, and we consider great credit is due to the arresting constable. A fatal accident occurred yesterday forenoon at the Titirtngi ranges, by which a lad" named Joseph Grarty, nged 13 years, lost his Hfe. It appears that four young lads (Volunteer Cadets) all about the same age as deceased, leit town yesterday morning at (r o'clock in order to proceed to the above ranges on a shooting expedition. Having arrived there, and fiinding nothing in the way of sport, they decided to have some practice by firing at a tree. While the unfortunate lad G-artv was making a circle on the tree, at which Henry Arthur CoHins was to aim, tbe carbine of the latter went off, and the bullet pierced the right breast of deceased. Collins immediately sent for assistance, and Mr Henry Smith, a settler in the neighbourhood, arrived soon after, and finding that Kfe w^s extinct conveyed the body to his mother's residence in Union street. An inquest will be held to-day, at 2 p.m., at tho Eobert Burns Hotel. — Q'oss, Tuesday. Two exceedingly well-bred stallions were imported to Canterbury about three weeks ago by Mr E. Gr. Griffiths, Secretary of the Canterbury Jockey Club, and both wero landed in capital condition. The first was Blue Boy, a brown colt four years old, by Beadaman, dam Bumblekite, by Voltigeur— Swectbriar by Stockwell— Eglantine, by Flying Dutchman— A?alia, by Cotton. Beadsman, a Derbywmner, by Weatherbit, hns been a highly successful siro, having got Blue Gown, Pero Gome?, and many other turf celebrities. Bumblekite was the dam of Khedive, who at one time stood high in the Derby betting of 1873. Blue Boy waa a creditable performer on the tusf, and won the Manchester, Cup last year. The second horse is Albany, seven years old, by Thormanby, dara Grisolea, by Touchstone — Blameless, by Boveller — Namesake, by Eniilias. Ihornamby was also a Dery-winner, a,nd Albany is said to have won several races in England. The importation of these horses is very opportune, as a, good stallion was much ncedod in Canterbury, to take the place of Traduccr, who is grow-, ing old. The Southland Timei ig informed that Messrs G. F. Martin and Co. have effected a »ale of Mr 11. Hill's celebrated Clydesdale entire, Young Prince of Wale*, lately imported from Scotland, to 11. Hamilton, Esq., Rezelle, for £800— the highest price yet paid for any horse in New Zealand. The horso was, we may mention, on his way to Dunedin hrs sale, under Mr Driver's hammer, whon the bargain was completed here, and a telegram sent off to intercept him at Tokoinainro. The dutrict generally may be congratulated on the fact that this fine sire is to bo retained in it, and. the purohasor deserves great, credit for his enterprise Wo trust Mr Hamilton may havo cauae next seaion to be fully tatish'ed with his investment. \ Mr M'Lean Watt Jack writes to the Weailand Register accounting for the failure in, the transmission of trout f roixt Dunedin to New Plymouth, After commenting on the folly of packing the fish in rather rusty galvanized iron pans, lie goes on to aay — "I would respectfully suggest to the Society the advisability of getting some earthenware pana, for the purpose of conveying trout from one place to- another, as on placing some of the all but dead trout into an earthenware basin they revived at once and became quite lively, and would, in my opinion, have remained so to the end of iiho passage had tho bashn, been large enough." A fire occurred on Wednesday evening, betweea 6 and 7 o'clock, at Mr Walteis's stable, Papak,ura, by which the well-known lacer Kingfisher, who won the Maiden Plate at the last Papakura meeting, was burnt to death. Tbe origin of tho fire is unknown. A man who was sleeping in the stable endeavoured to rescue tho horse but failedTts, in consequence of the dryness of tho weather, tne flanies spread rapidly, and the building was speedily consumed. Tho man was a good deal scorched in the attempt to ivsouo the horoo, but it in holicved he has sustained no material mjury. It will be seen by advertisement in another column that Mi Edwards has succeeded Mr Lewis ab host of tbe Ohaupo Hotel. New and commodious bttiblej, aud a hall for public meetings, have been recently erected in connection with the hotel. Mr Edwards is one of the old rebidents in the Waikj,to ; lip at one time kept an hotel at Alexandra. We again remind oui rtaden that all letters and newspapers to be in time ior tho outgoing San Francisco mail must be pouted m time to icaoh Auckland by iSatuiday'? ' coach. |

A native named " Cranky Bob " has murdered another tufcivo named TaujiU at Wn'igaroa. It appe.iiu that the J murduier sußpectcd improper intimacy with his wife. He j brought the matter before his tribe, who told him to settle I thematter himuelf mthebush Ho split iho head of his victim open with a tomahawk, whilst he was ongaged in mending Irs clothes. A verdict of wilful murder has been recorded against the Kiurderer ; hia tribe refuse to give him up, and have built a war pah, which they occupy fully armed. We havo leccired a letter, sigued "A Father." He wishes to know at what age a woman can marry, the consent of her parents or guardians being withheld 5 A woman cannot marry without the consent of her parents or guardians until she attains the age of twenty-one, unless she happens to be a widow. The want of a Post-office at Kihikihi has been pointed out to us, there are now upwords of forty families who would receive their letters from an oflice if established. The request is a reasonable one, and we trust will receive the attention of the authorities. The good people of Wamku gave their] volunteers, on their return from Napier, a good demonstration. The volunteer companies turned out, and also a large number of ladies. There was a banquet in the evening, at which about eighty ladies and gentlemen woro present. Mr A. Buckland will sell at the Cambridge Yards, on Monday next, a number of hand-fed steers, and seveial horses and mares with good pedigrees. We learn that Mr John Wood, of Hamilton, has purchased from Mr Simpson, the thiee pigs that took the first three prizes sft the Te Awamutu show. Mr Braith wait's run, situated about eight miles from tfapier, containing 2, 600 acres, has been sold f>r £j 0 por acre, the stock to be take n at valuation.